Animal-simulating rider-driven walking toy



' Oct. 2, 1956 H. s. HAWKINS 2,765,177

ANIMAL-SIMULATING RIDER-DRIVEN WALKING TOY Filed May 15, 1954 INVENTOR HAV/LAH .S. HAWK/NS lax/25 ATTORNEY United States Patent ANINIAL-SHWULATING RIDER-DRIVEN WALKING TOY Havilah S. Hawkins, edgwick, Maine Application May 13, 1954, Serial No. 429,630

Claims. (Cl. 280-1177) This invention is a mechanical toy which may be caused to walk or perambulate by bodily shifting the weight of a rider seated thereon.

The invention provides a toy which may be conveniently fashioned in form to represent any desired fourlegged animal, such as a horse, and wherein the legs of the animal are provided with rockers, at least one pair of legs being pivotally mounted so that a rider seated on the toy may cause the toy to rock alternately on the front and rear rockers as the rider shifts his weight alternately forwardly and rearwardly. The toy is caused to walk or peramulate by reason of the bodily movement of the toy about the pivotal axis of the pivotally mounted legs as the other legs rise from the surface on which the toy is being operated. Toys of this general nature are known, but the toy of the present invention seeks to rovide improvements in the construction of such toy which will render the same more stable and more easily controlled as to path of perambulation.

One object of the invention is to provide a walking toy of the character described wherein relatively simple but positive means are provided for at least partially restricting the range of pivotal movement of one of the pivoted legs with respect to the other of a pair of pivoted legs, whereby the toy may be caused to move in an are about the leg, the pivotal movement of which is so restricted. Another object of the invention is to provide a steering means for the toy interconnected with a means for selectively restricting pivotal movement of the pivoted leg members so that by operating the steering mechanism in a given direction, the toy will be caused to perambulate in that direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide lost motion means between the steering means and the leg restricting means so that the steering means may be operated without breakage of parts, even though the means which restricts pivotal movement of the leg members is temporarily blocked by one or the other of said leg members Another object of the invention is to provide means for limiting the extent of rotary oscillation through which the steering means may be operated and to simultaneously employ a part of the mechanism which so limits the movement of the steering means to support a portion of the steering means with respect to the body of the toy.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means of biasing the ivoted leg members into one extreme position of pivoted movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means of securing the spring-biasing means to the pivoted leg members and to simultaneously provide buffer means for the means employed for restricting swinging movement of the leg members.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from reading the following specification wherein a preferred embodiment is shown and wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the toy,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the toy,

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the toy,

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view partly in section showing the means of mounting the biasing springs, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental view partly in section taken from below the toy and showing the abutment operating means.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like arts throughout, the toy of the present invention is shown in the form of a horse comprising a body portion 1 which for convenience may be generally cylindrical in form. The body portion has at its rear a pair of leg members 2-2 rigidly interconnected by a cross strut 3, said strut being in turn connected to the underside of the body portion 1 by means not shown. The leg members 2 at their upper extremities may be additionally connected to the body portion 1 by bolt member 4. The toy is further provided with front leg members 5-5, the same being connected to the body portion 1 by bolts 6 which provide independent pivotal movement for said leg members. The leg members 2-2 and 5-5 are at their lower terminal portions provided with rocker members 7-7 and 8-8, respectively. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front legs 5-5 are splayed outwardly at the rocker portion thereof and for this purpose, the upper terminal portions of said legs are beveled on their inner faces as shown at 9, whereas said leg members at the lower portions are beveled on the opposite faces at 10, so that the rockers 8-8 lie in substantially vertical planes and outwardly of the planes occupied by the rear rocker members 7-7.

In order to limit the fore and aft swinging movement of the front leg members 5-5, there are provided yoke members 11, each of which embraces one of the legs 5-5 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The yoke members 11 are secured to a cross brace 12 which in turn is secured to the underside of the body 1 at the forward portion thereof. The leg members 5-5 are resiliently biased to a position as shown in Fig. 1 wherein they are disposed at the extreme forward limit of their fore and aft movement. To so bias the leg members, there is provided a coiled spring 13 for each leg 5-5 which spring as shown in Fig. 5 passes through an inclined bore 14 in the associated leg, with the opposite ends of the spring being secured to the yoke 11 and to the associated leg 5. An eye 15 in the end of the spring which is attached to the leg is passed over a lug 16 which is carried by a buffer plate 17, the purpose of which will be hereinafter referred to. The position of the leg 5 in Fig. 5 shows the spring 13 extended fully, since the leg in said view is shown in its most rearward position.

In order to control the direction of movement of the toy in its perambulation, it is proposed to selectively partially restrict the range of pivotal movement of the legs 5-5 and to this end there is provided a slidable abutment member 18 shown more clearly in Fig. 6 which is in the form of an elongated rod-like member slidably mounted in appropriately formed cleats 19 secured to the underside of the cross brace 12. The elongated rod-like abutment member 18 is disposed transversely of the respective paths of movement of the legs 5-5 and preferably generally parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs as defined by the bolt member 6. Abutment member 18 is of a length slightly less than the distance between the legs 5-5 at the point where the abutment member is disposed so that, normally, the leg members may both swing to their fullest extent as permitted by the yoke members 11 and thus provide for straight line perambulation of the toy. By projecting the abutment laterally in one direction or the other, and as shown projected to the left as viewed in Fig. 6, one or the other of said legs is substantially restricted in its swinging movement by engagement of the projecting end 20 of said abutment into the path of movement of the selected leg 5. In order to minimize wear on the leg 5 at the point of engagement with the projecting end 20, of the abutment 18, the buffer plates 17,'previously referred to, are employed. Thus, the plates 17 provide the dual function of buffering the engagement between the legs and the abutment member 18 as well as providing means for attachment of the biasing springs 13 to the legs as previously described.

The cross brace 12 is provided with suitable abutment pins 21 which cooperate with a laterally projecting arm 22 carried by the abutment 18 at its central portion, to limit lateral movement of the abutment member in opposite directions. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The steering mechanism for the toy previously referred to includes an upstanding, substantially vertical shaft 23 which as shown may conveniently represent the neck of the figure toy. This shaft is mounted in a substantially vertical bore 24 provided centrally in the forepart of the body portion 1, the shaft 23 being mounted snugly in said bore but in a manner to provide free rotary oscillation of the shaft with respect to the body 1. The shaft 23 is supported within the bore 24 by a plate 25 as shown in Fig. 6. The plate 25 is generally triangular in form with one of the apices thereof extending across the open end of the bore 24 so that the lower end of the shaft 23 rests thereon and is supported thereby. Also shown in Fig. 6 is a radial arm 26 secured to the lower end of the shaft 23 and this radial arm cooperates with the side edges 27 of the plate 25 to limit the angular extent of rotary oscillation permissible in the shaft 23. The rotary oscillation of the shaft 23 is communicated to the sliding abutment 18 by means of a resilient lost motion connection including the laterally projecting arm 22 of the abutment member, a coil spring 28 having one end thereof telescopically engaged and rigidly secured to the arm 22 and carrying at its opposite extremity a pin 29, said pin having one end telescopically and rigidly. connected to an end of the spring 28 and its opposite, end projected through an aperture provided in a depending lug 30 I carried by the arm 26.

The upper end of the shaft 23 may be provided with means 31 formed to simulate the head of an animal and a cross bar 32 to facilitate steering of the toy.

In the drawings, the toy has been fashioned generally to simulate a horse, and to this end, the body portion 1 may be provided with a simulated saddle 33 which preferably may be formed of sponge rubber and attached to a concave portion of the body 1 by any suitable means,

such as tacks 34. To further carry out the simulation of a horse, the body portion 1 may be provided with a tail simulating means 35.

In order to provide a rider of the toy with means for conveniently supporting himself while operating the toy, a pair of rigid stirrups 36 are provided. These may take any convenient form, but are shown as comprising a cross bar 37 supported by depending members 38 attached to opposite sides of the body portion 1 and strengthened by a transverse bracing strut 39 which in turn is connected to the underside of the body portion 1. It will be noted that the body portion 1 is provided with a longitudinally extending flattened portion 49 on its underside to facilitate mounting of the motion transmission means between the steering means and the abutment means 18.

It is believed the operation of the toy as thus described is obvious. A rider seated on the saddle 33 with. feet braced against or upon the stirrups. 36 and having a grip upon the cross bar 32, throws the weight of his body alternately forward and rearwardly. As the weight of the rider is thrown rearwardly, the combined weight of the rider and toy is supported on the rear rockers -7-7-; the

forwardrocker members 8.8 are free of contact with the ground at this time. The springs 13 becorneefiective to move the pivoted leg members forwardly to the.

full extent permitted by the yoke members 11. As the rider throws his weight forwardly, the toy rocks forwardl upon the forward rockers 88, the rear rockers rising from the ground, and the toy with its rider pivots about the bolts 6-6 as the rockers 8-8 move relatively rearwardly. This alternate motion of the rider and the shifting of the weight of the rider and toy alternately from the rear to the forward rocker members, coupled with the pivotal movement of the front leg with respect to the body, cause the body to perambulate or walk in a straight path.

If it is desired to change the course of the toy in one direction or the other, the rider simply turns the head of the toy including the shaft 23, and this in turn will project the sliding abutment member 18 into the path of movement of one or the other of the front leg members 5 with the result that one of said leg members has its pivotal movement relatively restricted with respect to the other pivoted leg member. This in effect reduces the increment of forward movement for the toy on that side on which the restricted leg lies, whereas the other and unrestricted leg partakes of its normal full swinging movement with the result that the toy turns in the direction of the leg, the movement of which has been restricted.

It is important to note that the steering mechanism of the present toy is positive in its operation and simple in construction. The resilient lost motion connection between the steering shaft 23 and the abutment 13 and comprising the coil spring 28 permits full and unrestricted normal movement of the steering mechanism regardless of the relative position of the leg members 55 at the time the abutment member 18 is projected laterally in either direction. This makes the steering mechanism safe and foolproof at all times.

The provision of the buffer plates 17 for contact with the projecting ends 20 of the abutment member 18 provide for safe and long operation of the device without the necessity of replacement or repair. The dual function of the plate 25 in supporting the shaft 23 and functioning as a limiting abutment for the rotation of said shaft simplifies the construction and reduces the cost of manufacture. Furthermore, the radial arm 26 by being dimensioned to extend beyond the confines of the bore 24, functions to prevent accidental vertical movement of the shaft 23 with respect to the body 1.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention simulating a walking horse, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the various sizes and proportions of parts and in the figure simulations of the toy generally without departing from the spirit of my invention which is set forth more clearly in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, stop members positionedrfore and aft of each of the pivoted leg members and Within the path of pivotal movement thereof to limit the pivotal movement of said pivoted leg members to a range of movement which determines the normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members at a point between a leg member and one of the stop members associated therewith and cooperating with said stop member to partially restrict the swinging movement of the selected leg member with respect to the other, and manually'operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path,

2. In a walking toy including a body portion, a pair of rocker members pivotally mounted on the body member, and means for selectively restricting movement of said rocker members including a steering head and rocker member abutment means operatively connected thereto,

, said head including a shaft mounted for rotation within a bore within said body portion, a plate secured to an under face of the body portion and having a portion projecting across said bore and supporting the lower end of said shaft, said plate member carrying abutment means, and an arm secured to the lower end of said shaft and projecting laterally therefrom across the under face of said body portion in a position to engage with said plate abutment means when the steering head is rotated, where by to limit the degree of rotation of said head, and motion transmission means operatively connecting said arm and said rocker member abutment means.

3. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, said manually operable means for moving said abutment means including a steering member mounted on the body for rotary oscillation, and motion transmission means operatively interconnecting said abutment means and said steering member whereby rotation of said steering member selectively in opposite directions moves the abutment member selectively into the path of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members relatively to restrict pivotal movement of one of them with respect to the other, said steering member being mounted for rotary oscillation in a substantially vertical bore provided in said body portion, a plate secured to the body portion adjacent to the lower open end of said bore and including a portion overlying said open end to there support the lower end of said steering member, said motion transmission means between the steering member and said abutment means including a radial arm carried by said steering member near the lower end thereof and movable therewith to engage the plate in either direction of rotation to thereby limit the angular movement of the steering member.

4. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, said manually operable means for moving said abutment means including a steering member mounted on the body for rotary oscillation, and motion transmission means operatively interconnecting said abutment means and said steering member whereby rotation of said steering member selectively in opposite directions moves the abutment member selectively into the path of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members relatively to restrict pivotal movement of one of them with respect to the other, said motion transmission means including resilient lost motion means operatively connecting said steering member with the abutment means and permitting rotary oscillation of the steering member within normal limits thereof, even though movement of the abutment means in either direction is temporarily blocked by the presence of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members.

5. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, said manually operable means for moving said abutment means including a steering member mounted on the body for rotary oscillation, and motion transmission means operatively interconnecting said abutment means and said steering member whereby rotation of said steering member selectively in opposite directions moves the abutment member selectively into the path of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members relatively to restrict pivotal movement of one of them with respect to the other, said motion transmission means including a radially disposed arm carried by said steering member, a lug at the free end of said arm, and wherein said abutment means is in the form of an elongated member having a lateraliy directed arm extending from an intermediate portion thereof, and means including a resilient member operatively connecting the laterally extending arm of the elongated abutment member and the lug on said radial arm.

6. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carr'ed by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement or" either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, said manually operable means for moving said abutment means inciuding a steering member mounted on the body for rotary oscillation, and motion transmission means operatively interconnecting said abutment means and said steering member whereby rotation of said steering member selectively in opposite directions moves the abutment member selectively into the path of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members relatively to restrict pivotal movement of one of them with respect to the other, said motion transmission means including resilient lost motion means operatively connecting said steering member with the abutment means and permitting rotary oscillation of the steering member within normal limits thereof, even though movement of the abutment means in either direction is temporarily blocked by the presence of one or the other of said pivotally mounted leg members, said motion transmission means including a radially disposed arm carried by said steering member, a lug carried by said arm, and said abutment means being in the form of an elongated member having a laterally directed arm intermediate its ends, a coiled spring telescopically engaged at one end with the lateral arm on said elongated abutment means, a pin fixed in the op posite end of said coil spring and engaged in an aperture provided in the lug carried by said radial arm.

7. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restrictin the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, means for normally biasing each of said pivotally mounted leg members substantially to the limit of its pivotal movement in one direction, said biasing means comprising a coiled spring disposed within a bore passing through each pivotally mounted leg member from front to rear, said bores lying generally parallel to the respective planes of swinging movement of said pivoted leg members, and means for securing opposite ends of the respective springs to the leg member and to the body member. 7

8. The walking toy described in claim 7 wherein the means for securing the springs to the pivoted leg members include buffer plates, each mounted on an edge or" a leg in the region thereof to be engaged by said abutment member when projected, said bufier plates each including a lug portion overlying the open end of the associated spring-receiving bore and to which lug portion the adjacent end of the spring is secured.

9. A walking toy comprising a body portion, a first pair of leg members rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom, a second pair of leg members pivotally secured to the body portion and depending therefrom for independent pivotal movement about a common, substantially horizontal axis, rocker members carried by the lower extremities of all said leg members, means to limit the pivotal movement of the second pair of leg members in normal walking movement of the toy, abutment means movable selectively across the path of movement of either of the pivotally mounted leg members for positively restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members with respect to the other, and manually operable means for selectively moving said abutment means for so restricting the swinging movement of either of said leg members relative to the other to thereby cause the toy to walk in a curved path, the pivotally mounted legs being oppositely beveled at the opposite ends thereof, the upper ends being beveled on their inner faces to cause the legs to splay outwardly at their lower extremities, the beveled portions at the lower ends of said legs being on the outer faces thereof in the region of connection with the rocker means where'- by to dispose the rocker means in generally vertical planes.

10. In a walking toy including a body portion, a pair of rocker members pivotally mounted thereon, and means for selectively restricting pivotal movement of the rocker members, including an abutment member slidably mounted for selective projection across the paths of movement of said pivoted rocker members, manual means for selectively actuating the abutment member, and resilient lost motion means operatively connecting said manual means with said abutment member, whereby the manual means may be operated within normal limits of movement in either direction, even though the movement of the abutment member is temporarily blocked by one or the other of said rocker members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,212,122 Wilkinson Jan; 9, 1917 2,416,850 Schott Mar. 4, 1947 2,688,492 Jacobs Sept. 7, 1-954 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,618 Great Britain Jan. 6, 1916 1915 206,679 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1923 648,438 Great Britain Ian. 3,-1951 

